St. Patrick’s Day and all things green are celebrated in March. But here’s a suggestion: Don’t wait till March 17 to add some green to your life.
Doctors have been telling the general public for years that green leafy vegetables are heart-healthy foods, and it’s time that we listen, especially those of us who are still holding on to a few extra pounds picked up between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
Amanda Jones, a nutritionist for Aramark, said that the beneficial effects of healthy eating are many, and one of the best green foods to eat is broccoli. A half a cup of broccoli is almost your daily amount of Vitamin C. Other green foods that promote good health are spinach and dark green lettuce. These green foods contain minerals and high amounts of Vitamin C, and they are all packed with fiber. And fiber promotes healthy colons.
For people with chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, green foods are essential. “When you are loaded up on fast foods, starchy foods that are unhealthy, anything greasy with a lot of saturated fat you can develop high blood pressure, and heart disease,” Jones said.
For female students especially, she suggests dairy products such as yogurt, to ward off osteoporosis at an older age.
So this month, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, don’t just wear green. Eat green and live long.